QA: ZOE MC PHERSON

I perform and write music, but also create transmedia works such as my latest audiovisual album in collaboration with A. Leone and many other creative souls.

3. Where do you often create/produce?

Mostly everywhere but also in different places like other peoples homes, residencies if I’m lucky, trains, studio, actually very rarely at my own place.

4. When?

Usually at moments in-between things, usually whilst moving towards some place, if the trip is long enough. I like knowing I have this fixed amount of time ahead somehow, it helps me focus.

5. Why do you play music?

I have no idea, but music is really everything in my life and my path is here.

I think one of the reasons why is that I can connect, with myself, with people. It just makes so much sense in many ways.

It’s not that music (and music business) makes me feel ‘so super happy’ all the time. Come on, it’s my job, and I’m critical at this business as well as at listening to my own and other people’s music.

6. When did you start making music?

Making I don’t know, there’s very old pictures of me playing drums and violin or my mom’s banjo that I kinda destroyed by engraving all over it and I’m still ashamed about this today.

But hum recording music, probably at 4 years old with my mom’s mic and tape recorder, saying some stupid story about crocodiles in bad frenglish as that language mix is my native language indeed.

7. Which track defines you the most?

The ones that are listed in my rekordbox as “ABSOLUTELY trippy shit”

The ones that don’t end and that show you different facettes.

AND the ones that make me dance not side ways or front and back but in every direction at the SAME TIME.

With usually an awkward rhythm that keeps me physically as well as mentally active.

8. How would you describe your own music?

I guess percussive, organic from the sound textures/design and field recording, hopefully trippy, evolutive, danceable, hypnotic, something like this I guess.

9.What influences your work?

Everyday sounds, traveling and moving somewhere alone as well as awesome experimental music from geniuses (so many!)

I thought boredom could influence me, but I’m still unsure.

I’m looking for new influences, I’m eager to discover what I don’t know or never heard of, but please something not musical. I hate closing up into genres and activities. It bores me so much. Climbing mountains influence me. I get a kick from that.

10.What’s your academic background? Are you an autodidact?

I studied violin at 9 and drums at 12, for the rest yes autodidact, I think most producers are.

11.Favorite designer?

Anyone making 3D and called Andreas (lol), both motion graphic designers who worked on my audiovisual album are called Andreas =)

But yeah, maybe my dream collab atm is with a mathematician and creative coder as well as 3D printing fashion designer?

Maybe a chemist or a cook?

16. Are you analog or digital?

BOTH FOR SURE. Why choose when both have great assets.

17.Which soft wares/tools/ instruments do you use/play?

Ableton, Reaktor, Percussions, Synths, Banging on anything I can when I’m going out for a walk, and hitting rec as well.

18. Describe your creative process?

Field recording, home, process sounds, exact rhythms and textures, process thru external gear and effects, go back process, mix, then I don’t know what I’m doing but it’s not the right moment to call me or ask me out.

Then it takes me about 1-2 years to finish.

19. When are you the most prolific (creatively)?

When I decided not to go to Berghain on Sunday morning and instead made a track which will open my new album, and I felt SO great, ‘cus at this moment everyone is usually busy sleeping.